NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Mayor Bill de Blasio is taking sides in the war of words between Queens Assemblyman Ron Kim and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Kim alleges Cuomo spent 10 minutes in a nighttime phone call yelling at and threatening him over the lawmaker's criticism of the governor's handling of COVID-19 nursing home deaths.
During an appearance Thursday morning on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe," de Blasio was asked whether he believes the charges being lodged by Kim.
The mayor took a breath and declared, “It’s a sad thing to say, but that’s classic Andrew Cuomo."
"A lot of people in New York State have received those phone calls," he said. "The bullying is nothing new. I believe Ron Kim and it's very, very sad. No public servant, no person who is telling the truth should be treated that way."
"It's just the script is exactly what a lot of us have heard before, it's not a surprise, it's sad, it's not the way people should be treated," de Blasio added.
Kim told the New York Post that the governor threatened to "destroy" him in a call last week. That call came a day after news broke that Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa had admitted to Democratic lawmakers in a Feb. 10 Zoom conference that the administration had "froze" in releasing nursing home data fearing it would be used against them by federal prosecutors.
The assemblyman, who was on that call with DeRosa, later came out and accused the Cuomo administration of a cover-up.
Kim was also among several lawmakers who signed a letter seeking support for a bill that would revoke the governor's emergency powers related to the pandemic.
The long-time critic of the governor, and other lawmakers said the delay in releasing the data was an "intentional obstruction of justice."
Cuomo denied the allegation Wednesday saying, "I obstructed justice says Assemblyman Kim, and several other legislators. That's a lie."
Cuomo's senior advisor, Rich Azzopardi, also issued a statement saying that Kim is lying about his conversation with Cuomo.
"Mr. Kim is lying about his conversation with Governor Cuomo Thursday night. I know because I was one of three other people in the room when the phone call occurred. At no time did anyone threaten to 'destroy' anyone with their 'wrath' nor engage in a 'coverup.' That's beyond the pale and is unfortunately part of a years-long pattern of lies by Mr. Kim against this administration," Azzopardi said.
Cuomo's advisor said Kim and Cuomo have had a "long, hostile relationship" that began in 2015 when Cuomo criticized Kim for supporting a bill that would protect nail salon workers, only to "do a 180-degree reversal after he received significant funding from the owners of the nail salons."
De Blasio said he believes Kim's account 100%.
"The threats, the belittling, the demand that someone change their statement right that moment. Many, many times I've heard that and I know a lot of other people in the state have heard that," de Blasio said.
Meanwhile, CBS News is confirming a report first seen in the Albany Times Union that the FBI and federal prosecutors have launched a preliminary investigation into the Cuomo administration and its handling of the nursing homes during the pandemic.
De Blasio told MSNBC that he believes an investigation is warranted.
"We need a full investigation, unquestionably," the mayor said. "This is about thousands of people's lives."
Azzopardi told CBS News, "As we publicly said, DOJ has been looking into this for months. We have been cooperating with them and will continue to."
The FBI and the U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York declined to comment.
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